The aqueous extract of Ficus religiosa induces cell cycle arrest in human cervical cancer cell lines SiHa (HPV-16 Positive) and apoptosis in HeLa (HPV-18 positive)

PLoS One. 2013 Jul 26;8(7):e70127. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070127. Print 2013.

Abstract

Natural products are being extensively explored for their potential to prevent as well as treat cancer due to their ability to target multiple molecular pathways. Ficus religiosa has been shown to exert diverse biological activities including apoptosis in breast cancer cell lines. In the present study, we report the anti-neoplastic potential of aqueous extract of F. religiosa (FRaq) bark in human cervical cancer cell lines, SiHa and HeLa. FRaq altered the growth kinetics of SiHa (HPV-16 positive) and HeLa (HPV-18 positive) cells in a dose-dependent manner. It blocked the cell cycle progression at G1/S phase in SiHa that was characterized by an increase in the expression of p53, p21 and pRb proteins with a simultaneous decrease in the expression of phospho Rb (ppRb) protein. On the other hand, in HeLa, FRaq induced apoptosis through an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) leading to loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome-c and increase in the expression of caspase-3. Moreover, FRaq reduced the migration as well as invasion capability of both the cervical cancer cell lines accompanied with downregulation of MMP-2 and Her-2 expression. Interestingly, FRaq reduced the expression of viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 in both the cervical cancer cell lines. All these data suggest that F. religiosa could be explored for its chemopreventive potential in cervical cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Female
  • Ficus / chemistry*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Human papillomavirus 16 / isolation & purification*
  • Human papillomavirus 18 / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Papillomavirus Infections / complications
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / virology*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Plant Extracts

Grants and funding

The authors thank IRSHA, Bharati Vidyapeeth University and CSIR for supporting this work. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.